In a June 2023 image from the US Air Force, a B-1B Lancer plane performs a demonstration in TanTan, Morocco. 1st Sgt. John Etheridge/US Army/FileAir Force B-1 bombers, known for their ability to deploy both precision and non-precision weapons, were part of the US aircraft that conducted strikes on Friday in Iraq and Syria, according to a defense official who spoke with CNN. The B-1B Lancer is a heavy, long-range bomber.The crews of the bombers traveled non-stop from the US to carry out the strikes, stated Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a Friday briefing.The precision of the strikes on militia targets was praised by Sims, who credited the B-1 bombers for their role in achieving this outcome.”Initial reports indicate that we hit our intended targets accurately, resulting in secondary explosions at the ammunition and logistics locations that were the focus of the US strikes,” Sims said.Sims acknowledged that casualties were anticipated during the strikes, as the US was aware that militants use these facilities.”We made these strikes tonight with an expectation that there would likely be casualties among the individuals inside those facilities,” Sims stated.The post has been updated with further information from a briefing by Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, regarding the B-1 bomber mission.
